Samsung Confirms Work on Smart Watch Project

Tuesday March 19, 2013 5:40 am PDT by Eric Slivka

Bloomberg reports that Samsung has confirmed last month's rumors that it is working on a smart watch. With rumors of Apple working on its own "iWatch" project for launch as soon as later this year, it appears that the two rivals will be be going head-to-head yet again as the battle over mobile devices widens.

“We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long,” Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, said during an interview in Seoul. “We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”

Lee had no comment on what features the watch may have, how much it would cost and when it would go on sale.

The report notes that Samsung may be able to offer a pricing advantage over Apple given that it controls its own chip and display production, undoubtedly two of the highest-cost components of a smart watch.

Apple has been reported to have 100 product designers working on its smart watch project, toying with curved glass and considering such features as biosensors and mapping functionality. The watch will also reportedly run a "full" version of iOS, making for easier integration and developer access. Battery life is said to be a challenge for Apple, however, with current prototypes lasting only about two days between charges, roughly half of Apple's goal.

Top Rated Comments

"We've been preparing the watch product for so long," Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business, said during an interview in Seoul. "We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them."

Lee had no comment on what features the watch may have, how much it would cost and when it would go on sale.

So you are all slamming Samsung for comming with a product that is according to you based on Apple ideas?

The smartwatch from Apple is only a rumour and only a rumour. You can't base any argument on rumors. '' A source within Apple report the company is working on flying tv's.'' Yes, clearly a valid point to slam Samsung.

I'm with iGrip here. You're all accusing Samsung of copying an Apple product that doesn't exist yet. It's like some of you here don't have a personal opinion about other companies, rather a Pavlovian response. As soon as you hear something, you all start swawking "copy copy copy" like a bunch of trained parrots.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.